Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis will hold on to Staten Island’s congressional seat, fending off her challenger and predecessor, Max Rose, in the closely watched battle for New York City’s most conservative district.
The Associated Press called the race for Malliotakis just after 9:30 p.m. Shortly after the race was called, Rose conceded.
In a short victory speech, Malliotakis highlighted her "amazing mandate from the people of Staten Island and southern Brooklyn," adding that her race would auger similar results both in New York and across the country.
"The first thing we're going to do is fire Nancy Pelosi!" she said, earning the biggest applause of the night from the crowd of supporters.
Rose, a moderate Democrat and Army veteran, narrowly lost the seat to Malliotakis in 2020, two years after pulling off an upset that helped propel the blue wave across the U.S.
As Democrats cling to a narrow majority in the House, the race for the 11th Congressional District – including the southern Brooklyn neighbourhoods of Gravesend, Dyker Heights, and Bensonhurst – was once again seen as a potential national bellwether.
